


Underland's Unruly Princesses: March of the Witch Hunters

by Ros_and_Ember (AggressiveSwan91598)



Series: Underland's Unruly Princesses [2]
Category: Alice in Wonderland (Movies - Burton), Galavant (TV), Hocus Pocus (1993), Sweeney Todd (2007), Wicked - Schwartz/Holzman
Genre: Gen, Iracebeth has two illegitimate daughters, Iracebeth is a good but overprotective mother, Mirana is useless, Stayne is a deadbeat dad, Tarrant is a good dad, the Sanderson sisters are Iracebeths daughters godmothers, the dennisons are witch hunters, there are different rabbit holes leading to different times and spaces
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-22
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:28:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24843841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AggressiveSwan91598/pseuds/Ros_and_Ember
Summary: When their beloved godmother, Winifred Sanderson goes missing, Iracebeth's two daughters, Rosalind and Ember take matters into their own hands and sneak out of the castle, against their mother's wishes, to save Underland and the world above from witch hunters. Co-written with my soul sister, Princess Emberess of Underland
Relationships: Gareth/Madalena (Galavant), Iracebeth of Crims/Ilosovic Stayneosovic Stayne, Nellie Lovett/Sweeney Todd
Series: Underland's Unruly Princesses [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1602469
Kudos: 2





	1. The Witching Hour

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So my soul sister, Ember Belli and I like to roleplay around inserting ourselves as the daughters of the Red Queen and decided that in our canon the Sanderson Sisters from Hocus Pocus are our "fairy godmothers." (Elphaba is also a friend of ours who stays as a permanent houseguest at Salazen Grum in hiding from Oz after Fiyero left her for Glinda, Mrs. Lovett is our cook and my lady in waiting, and Sweeney Todd is our new executioner and royal hairdresser, and as you can see from our hairstyles in our cover photo that I made on AzaleasDolls, he makes an excellent job.) That's how this bizarre little fic was born. Also will potentially contain the aforementioned characters from Sweeney Todd and Wicked, and the dragons from Game of Thrones (who are my pet jabberwockies.) We only own our respective princesses based on ourselves. We hope you enjoy reading this insane fic as much as we enjoyed writing it.- xoxo, Pos

Ember I

Ever since I was a little girl, my Mother had always expressed to me the importance of keeping one's nose out of the business of others. Unfortunately being the eldest daughter of the Red Queen of Underland, I had no real interest in rules.

In fact, one stormy night I found it much too difficult to fall asleep. Instead of attempting to achieve a relaxed state like a "well behaved princess" should have, I slid from my bed and exited my chamber. Being twenty-two years old and resisting the urge to explore the castle was just not a thing I was willing to do. I was quite the mischievous twenty-two year old, at that.

On the Easternmost section of the castle lay a corridor of bookshelves packed full of various items, which my little sister, Rosalind, and I were never allowed to explore. Knowing that it was deep into the night and Mother was surely to be fast asleep, I allowed my childish urges to lead me to the corridor without even a second thought about it.

Mother had always said that that particular corridor contained items that no child of the Queen needed to bother with- that's rubbish.

With a strong feeling of accomplishment burning deep in my core, I pushed through the heavy solid oak door and made sure it closed behind me as silently as possible. I took a moment and pressed my back against the door, listening for any sounds of guards or even the footsteps of my Mother's right-hand man, the Knave, Ilosovic Stayne.

Not a sound was heard anywhere in earshot.

I slowly made my way down the corridor until I came across a single torch illuminating my way at the opposite end of the hall. Practically sniggering, I took hold of the torch and held it in front of me for a decent source of light.

Mother had indeed been right when she said the items covering the shelves were nothing I really needed to see. Strange knick-knacks and various means of destruction lined the shelved walls. Chains, ropes, books of torture techniques, bottles full of colorful liquids and even the bones of different creatures were easily located. These things I found interesting, but what I found most interesting was a black door that was hidden between two of the shelves.

With an insolence that bordered on curiosity, I entered the door and found myself stepping into a small, dank broom closet that was covered in spider webs. A cloud of dust flew into the air from the door opening and I began to cough loudly. I waved a hand before my face, careful not to disturb the flame on the edge of my torch. All that was in the closet was a handful of old wicker broomsticks, nothing more, nothing less.

A little disappointed at the fact that my Mother would hide torturous devices from me and a smelly old broom closet turned me off from her forewarnings a tad. As if I didn't already know that my Mother enjoyed torturous acts in her bedchamber! I would make sure that I knew of her little secret!

Just as I was about to exit the broom closet, the loud clank, clank of the heels on my Mother's boots came clattering down the corridor. Gasping, I closed the door, blew out the torch and positioned myself at the very back of the closet.

I began to feel very confused as I listened to my Mother trudge past the closet and down the hall. A little further down I heard her open a door, step in, and slam it shut behind her as hard as she could.

"Bloody hell," I whispered to myself. I had nearly been caught.

Next thing I knew, a small green light found its way into the closet. I reached a finger out and discovered that it was a peep hole. Biting my bottom lip curiously, I leaned into the hole.

Why, on the opposite side of the peep hole was a large room composed of sand-colored bricks. The room was circular and in the center hung the most sizeable cauldron I had ever seen in my entire life. Some sort of green fog was pouring from the cauldron, a potion, I presumed.

I saw my Mother stalk into view. She was clad in her usual gown. Odd for her to be fully dressed at three in the morning. The way she had her arms folded told me that she was not in the best of moods.

Mother turned on her heel and faced somewhere off into the room I could not see.  
""It's a bit late, don't you think?" Mother I bit my lip again. Who was she talking to?

"Nonsense, darling, it is simply early," answered the voice of my aunt Winifred Sanderson. She was out of my field-of-view but the presence of the potion in the cauldron made sense now.

"If you say so," Mother answered. She began to slowly circle the cauldron. "Why did you come calling, Winnie? Why did you interrupt my beauty sleep?" Aunt Winifred stepped into view. She, too, was dressed in her full garb.

"You know I don't call for just anything, Racie," she replied. "I have seen the future. There are things that need to be brought to the surface." Mother looked perplexed. She curled her lips like she always did when she was deep in thought. "Is it Underland?"

"Well….no," Aunt Winifred replied.

"Is it my Rule? Am I to be overthrown?"

"Um...no."

"It's Stayne isn't it?"

Winifred scoffed. "No, Racie, tisn't anything like that."

"Well then, for God sakes, Winifred, spit it out!" Mother spat. She always was moody when she missed her beauty sleep.

Winifred sighed. "It's about Ember," she finally said.

I gasped. My name had been mentioned. I tensed and grasped a near broomstick handle for balance.

Mother stopped dead in her tracks. She inched to face Winifred.

"I thought we agreed to never bring that up again?"

Winifred shook her head, and wiped her face with her palms. I was so used to seeing Aunt Winifred in her feisty mood, but the fact she was being rather soft was quite a surprise to me.

"I know, Racie. I know." She shuffled a heel on the floor, kicking at a small pebble. "The truth cannot be hidden forever. Especially not now. Not with what is to come."

Mother raised a thin eyebrow. "And what exactly is to come?"

"It's the Witch hunters, Racie. They are over-taking the Above. I foresaw our demise. They are going to start with us Aboverlanders. Eventually they will find their way down here. They will destroy anything in their path they find as unusual."

Mother's gaze softened and she began to twiddle her thumbs in a nervous manner. "What's this have to do with Ember?"

I dug my nails into the wood of the broom handle.

"The girl's true identity must be brought to the light. She comes from a very powerful bloodline. Tis the power that lives in her that can save us all."

I didn't want to hear anymore. What was going on? I wanted to run. I wanted to scream and cry and throw a tantrum. I was so confused I was beginning to become dizzy. But I had to hold on, I had to know about myself.

"I am not ready, Winifred," Mother torted. "I am not ready to give her up."

Tears began to well in Winifred's eyes and I felt a pull on my heartstrings.

"If thou art not willing, then thou shalt bid farewell to our worlds as we know them," Winifred said.

Shaking her head, Mother closed her eyes. She sighed heavily and then remained quiet for a moment. "Well," she began. "If there is any truth to this information, I suppose I have some explaining to do."

I watched in awe as the two of them stalked from the room. As soon as the coast was clear I bolted. I had to tell Rosalind about what I had witnessed.


	2. Morning People

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ember wakes up Rosalind to tell her what she overheard. Rosalind is not a morning person.

Rosalind I

I was in a deep sleep when Ember had barged into my room without knocking and shook me awake. "Five more minutes, Mother!" I moaned, still in a daze.

"Ros! Rosalind, wake up!"

My eyes fluttered open. "Oh, sissy. It's you. What is it? What's wrong?" I asked, confused. Ember knew better than to disturb my beauty sleep. If I didn't get more than ten hours of it, I would wake up in a foul mood and never let anyone in the castle hear the end of it.

"I just witnessed something terrible!" Ember cried. I wasn't used to seeing my older sister in this vulnerable state. Something was wrong.

"What was it? Has The Alice returned? Another mutiny? Was my father fooling around with Dahlia again?" I thought aloud.

"What?" she stopped shaking me, confused. "No, you dolt! Do you remember the East corridor Mother forbids us from entering?"

"Of course I do! Don't tell me you were lurking around in there! Mother is going to be furious!" I twiddled my thumbs anxiously.

Ember sighed. "Well….. I was. And I saw something I wasn't supposed to."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Such as?

"Mum has this impressive collection of torture devices, and potions, and animal bones. But that's not the worst part. I found a broom closet with a peep-hole. It faces Mum's secret potion room. I eavesdropped on her talking to Aunt Winifred…" she began to trail off.

"What was Auntie Winnie doing here?" I thought of my godmother fondly. Most princesses had fairy godmothers, but Ember and I had the three Sanderson sisters, notorious Salem witches as ours. We referred to them as our aunties although they had no blood relation. They were more aunts to us than our mother's sister, Mirana anyway.

Ember sighed. "I don't know. But I overheard something….. Something about… Me."

"About you?" I repeated.

"Yes," she said. "Aunt Winnie told Mum that Witch Hunters are taking over the Above. She said that they will soon find their way down here and destroy us all."

"That's horrible! Is there anything to be done?"

"According to Aunt Winifred, I have some sort of power within me that is meant to save us."

"Then you're our only hope." I stated. Ember had always had strange powers. I admired them. This explained a lot. "What does Mummy think of all this?"

"I don't really know. She didn't say much at all."

"That's so unlike her." I said. Our mother had always been one to speak her mind and quite loudly at that.

Ember turned to me, her eyes glazed. "We have to get to the bottom of things."

"I agree." I said. "But how?" My blue eyes lit up. I had an idea. "I can see what I can get out of Auntie Mary and Auntie Sarah." I said. "They missed my 20th birthday a month ago and are coming over to bring me their presents. Auntie Sarah also promised to help me with my singing. You know they've never been the sharpest knives in the drawer. I'll see what information I can get out of them."

Ember nodded. "Good idea, Sis." She began to pace my chambers. "I have no idea where Aunt Winifred went. I wonder if she's staying at the castle."

"I hope she is." I said. "Maybe she could answer our questions."

"Let's make a plan," Ember instructed.

"I'm not confronting Mummy about anything." I said. "The last thing we want is to be on the receiving end of her wrath."

"Good idea. Mum will be pissed if she knows I was eavesdropping." She went to my chamber window and gazed out.

"What is it?"

"Sis….. for the first time in a long while. I think I'm afraid. There seems to be so much at stake. I don't know where to start."

"Well my Daddy can go and find out who's hiding the witch hunters in our world." I suggested. "Then we can have them executed." That was about all my father the Knave was good for.

Ember turned to me. "Sounds good." She yawned. "Okay, I think I'll try and get some sleep."

I moved over in bed. "You can sleep with me sis. That way nobody will know you snuck out. They'll think I had a nightmare and made you come to my room."

Ember didn't answer me, she just climbed in my bed and soon was snoring. Pretty soon I started to drift off.


	3. Where's Winnie?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ember meets with Iracebeth and receives a mysterious present from Auntie Winnie

Ember II

Early the next morning, I awoke to the sensation of a sun ray beating on my bare neck. Slowly I peeled myself from Rosalind's pillow, stretching. It took me a minute to realize that Rosalind was gone. There was a note on her side of the bed.

Ember,

Gone to interrogate Aunt Sarah and Aunt Mary, and get my birthday presents. Please be careful. I will send my Father out to look for Witch Hunters.

With Love,

Princess Rosalind of Underland

I smiled to myself. Ros was just like Mother in a lot of ways. In fact, when I had to think about it, I was hardly like Mother at all. Sure, we shared a few similar qualities, but nothing extravagant.

By the time I went to my own chambers, bathed, and put on a fresh gown, it was nearly midday. Once dressed I thought I would track down Aunt Winifred and try to spent some "quality time" with her.

As I made my way down the main corridor, as I neared the throne room, I could overhear Rosalind singing very loudly. She was singing a song that we often heard our other Aunt, Nellie Lovett, sing when she was busy making pies.

"These are probably the worst pies in London!" I heard Rosalind's mighty voice belt throughout the castle.

I stopped outside the throne room door to hear someone clap their hands.

"Well done, darling," cooed the voice of Aunt Sarah.

"Wonderful!" chimed the voice of Aunt Mary.

I listened for a few moments. There was no sign of Mother nor of Aunt Winifred. That was extremely odd. Mother had to either be signing death warrants or even out on a procession.

But where was Aunt Winifred?

Trying to keep myself collected, I made my way back to the second floor. If I was to do anything risky, now was the time, whilst Ros had the Aunts distracted. Being caught by them wouldn't be a good feat, especially if they knew what was going on, and I had no idea if they knew or not.

What surprised me the most about all this was not the fact that I had overheard some information I was sure I wasn't even supposed to know, it was the fact that when I walked past Mother's study, I heard a voice.

"Ember? Is that you?"

It was the voice of Mother.

I halted, swallowing.

"Oh, you silly girl, do not think I cannot recognize the footsteps of my own daughter. Get in here!" she called out.

So, Mother was in her study. She was neither out on procession nor signing papers.

Sighing, I whirled on my heel, and, without shame, whipped the doors to the study open.

Mother sat in her favorite padded desk chair, her skirt flailed all about her feet. Her feet poked out from under her skirt and I could see she had her ankles crossed. She was wearing her tiny heart-shaped reading spectacles. Head down, she looked be reading a scroll of some sort. She raised her gaze when I whipped the doors open and stepped in.

"Now, now, Ember," she said. "No need to be vicious. I simply need to speak to you." She gestured to an armchair across her desk from her. Obediently I plunked down in it, and locked my fingers together.

Whatever this was, it was about to be good.

She set the scroll down, and removed her spectacles.

"So, my dear," she began. "Where are you off to?"

Did I dare lie?

I then remembered what Ros had said about getting on Mum's bad side.

"I was trying to find Auntie Winifred," I told her.

Mum's brow arched up curiously. "What makes you think Winifred is here?"

I sighed. "Well, Auntie Mary and Auntie Sarah are here. They're spending time with Ros because the buffoons missed her birthday. I suppose I just assumed Aunt Winifred was around. You know that she's my favorite aunt."

I studied Mum's expression. It softened. "I can assure you, darling, that Winifred is not around." She gently ran a hand stressfully over her face, as if to wipe off tension. "In fact, that's why I called you when I heard you traipse by."

I straightened my posture in the chair. Like a lady, I crossed my legs and folded my hands in my lap. Hopefully she was about to answer all of my questions. I was careful not to allow my expression to show that I knew something.

Sighing again, much heavier this time, Mum also corrected her posture.

"As you know, your Aunt Winifred is a very powerful being," she said. "She was born from a very, very powerful bloodline of magic-doers. And with great power like she has, comes great responsibility. And, of course, there are those who believe that power so great shant exist."

I licked my lips to show her I was paying her every ounce of my attention.

"Anyway, late last night, Winifred came calling. When we congregated she informed me that a certain movement of Witch Hunters has arisen- both in Underland, and Above."

I tensed.

"Her and I both are very concerned for the well-being of our worlds. If these Witch Hunters succeed in destroying people such as your Aunts, I am certain they will begin to prey on our kind."

I shook my head. "Oh, Mum, what are we to do?"

She blinked a few times. "That, my dear, is something I'm not entirely sure of." She slowly opened one of her desk drawers. "Winifred has gone off to defend her and her sister's home Above." She stuck her hands down in the desk, and grasped onto something. "She wasn't sure how long she would indeed be gone. So," she hoisted something heavy from the drawer. "She left this, and asks that you guard it with your very Life."

Before I had time to react, she dropped a hunk of an object on her desk.

It was Aunt Winifred's beloved Book.

I couldn't remember the last time I had seen Book, but it had been a while. I gently grabbed it and slid it to myself. The eye on the cover was closed. From what I understood, it only opened for Aunt Winifred. Why would she leave it with me? Did this have to do with the comment she had made to Mum the night previous?

I gingerly ran my finger over the eye. I did not open.

Instead of telling me anything else, Mum waved me away, and dismissed me.

I immediately took Book to my chamber, and sent one of my maids off to fetch Rosalind.

When Rosalind came into my chamber, she was extremely surprised to see the book perched on my stand.

"What are you doing with Auntie Winnie's book?" She asked. She looked slightly irritated. Obviously she hadn't gotten what she wanted to know out of Aunt Mary and Aunt Sarah.

"Mum gave it to me- she says Aunt Winnie left it behind, and she wants me to guard it with my very life." I was busy running my fingers over the binding of the human skin on its cover. I was hoping it would tickle it enough for it to awaken.

"But why would she leave it behind? That book is like her child." She wondered aloud.

"I don't know, Sis, but I feel like I'm supposed to wake it up," I explained. "But nothing seems to be working." I even tried tickling it with the feather of a quill, to no ergo.

"Maybe it's not used to you." Ros suggested. "Like with Jabberwockies. They have to come to you, you can't come to them."

I pursed my lips. "Let me try this." I licked my lips heavily. "Ohhhhh, Book," I cooed. "My darling. It's time to wake up. Come along, darling." I pushed my voice as high as I could get it, and tried to sound as much like Winifred as I could. Ros giggled.

"You Sound like her." She smirked. "But it won't work. You can't tell that book what to do."

I had one more idea. I quickly went across the room and faced the book. "BoooOOOOoooKKkkkkk. Come to Mummy!"

No avail. Nothing. Nada.

It was no use. I would have to figure something else out.

"I suggest we harass my Daddy into hunting down these witch hunters so we can at least rid our world of them." Ros states after a few moments. She knew I enjoyed harassing her father the Knave.

I smiled. "Good idea." We then began walking toward the door side-by-side. I halted.

"What's wrong?" Ros asked.

I ran over, scooped up Book, and tucked him under my arm, giggling. "Nothing, lets go."


	4. Daddy Issues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rosalind and Ember harass Rosalind's deadbeat father the Knave into doing something about the witch hunter problem and paying child support.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Warning: the following chapter contains excessive Stayne-bashing, profanity, angst, daddy issues, blackmail, sexual innuendos, temper tantrums, lucid dreams, and too much exposition. Don't like, don't read.

Rosalind II

It was no secret that Ember hated my father, Ilosovic Stayne the Knave of Hearts. She said he was an ignorant one eyed gorilla who cheated on mother several times with various ladies of the court when she carried me inside her and that's why he lost his eye. I knew better than to ask either of my parents if there was any truth to this. When I was nine, she also claimed that he attempted to spoon her in her bedchamber. I don't know if this is officially true or not, but after that claim, mother made both of us sleep in her bed for about a year, and I didn't see my father at all during that time because he was put on ice in the dungeon.

But once I realized I wasn't going to get anywhere with Auntie Mary and Auntie Sarah, apart from my birthday gifts that is, I knew I had to ask him for help. I got all the attention I wanted from Mother, Ember, my aunties, and mother's old friend and our cook, Mrs. Nellie Lovett, but my father was distant. He was probably busy carrying out Mother's orders. Still, the only time he spent with me was with everyone else, or when he tried to teach me how to spar which mother quickly stopped him from.

"Princesses don't fight with steel." Mummy insisted when she caught me fencing with my father on her croquet lawn and promptly dragged me off by one arm. In hindsight, I think Daddy wanted me to be a boy.

The Resistance made a big deal out of the fact that Mother executed her husband, took several lovers over the course of her reign, and had no "legitimate" children. Ember and I were often referred to as "Royal Bastards." Mummy countered this slander by saying that Ember's father was the resistance leader, Tarrant Hightopp, the Hatter, and that the only reason she killed her husband was that he tried to kill Ember when she was a toddler and pushed him off her balcony. Not only that, but she was also pregnant with me at the time and couldn't keep him around long enough for him to find out that she had another child who wasn't his. Besides, he was a cheating asshole just like my father. Worse than my father in fact because he'd been screwing her own sister!

I wish I looked more like my mother. She and Ember had the same red hair, only Ember's hair was more ginger than red. I had only my mother's porcelain skin, dainty features, long eyelashes, and aching feet, and my father's bright sky blue eyes, but unlike either of them, I was born with an abundance of long, thick, wavy honey-colored tresses falling almost to my knees which was strange at first, but then it was revealed that my maternal grandmother, Queen Elsemere was a blonde, so I guess it wasn't that odd. Like my sister, I had a curvaceous, voluptuous body and had always been rather busty for my age.

As we walked to Daddy's chamber, I thought about my interaction with Auntie Sarah and Auntie Mary. They were quick to praise my singing of Nellie's songs and rewarded me with my birthday presents. Auntie Mary gave me a beautiful cake, six layers high decorated with red buttercream roses with golden leaves. Two layers were chocolate fudge cake filled with cheesecake, two were chocolate chip cookie dough cake filled with cheesecake, and two were red velvet cake filled with cheesecake. The whole thing was frosted in fudge and cream cheese frosting. She told me I was getting too skinny and insisted I eat the whole thing myself before I started singing. Auntie Sarah gave me some a beautiful choker, black velvet ribbon with a golden rose briar pattern embroidered into it, three new gowns, and a red bow made from the same fabric of my mother's favorite gown with a miniature version of mother's scepter as the clasp. I thanked them and asked them where Auntie Winnie was.

"In your mother's study," was Auntie Sarah's reply,

"In the garden," said Auntie Mary at the same time. Then they looked at each other oddly.

"In your mother's study," said Auntie Mary.

"In the garden," said Auntie Sarah.

I knew now that she was neither in the garden or Mummy's study and grew suspicious. Ember's story confirmed these suspicions and I knew we had to send my father out to find the Witch Hunters in our world and arrest them immediately. We would put a bounty on their heads and snuff them out. If not, I could use my baby Jabberwockies that mother gave me when I turned fourteen, Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion, on them. They were my babies. Drogon was now large enough to ride, but the others could set things on fire and probably burn people alive.

I rapped sharply on door to my father's room with Ember close behind.

"Exactly why are you dragging me to visit your father?" Ember asked me.

"Because he listens to you and not me." I said blankly, stating the obvious and trying to school the twinge of envy from my voice.

"You're his daughter, though," Ember torted. "Not me. Besides, he abandoned you."

"I think you scare him." I smirked. "Why does Mummy even keep him around anyway?"

Ember chuckled lowly. "I haven't a clue, sis. Sometimes I swear Mum forgets why she does things."

"Well either way you get through to him better than I do that's why you're coming with me." I banged on the door again. "DADDY! GET YOUR STUPID FUCKING DEADBEAT ARSE OUT HERE RIGHT NOW!" I yelled.

"Or I'll tell Mummy you sometimes like to wank to pictures of Aunt Mirana!" Ember chimed in an annoying tone. I giggled like a little girl.

Ember laughed as my Father whipped the door open. She had Aunt Winnie's book in the crook of her arm. She had not stopped carrying it around since Mum gave it to her.

"The fuck do you brats want?" he demanded. I stared him down.

"Well, well, well, Stayne, I'd expected you to be thrilled by our appearance," Ember cooed in a sarcastic tone. "I guess I was totally wrong with that assumption." Without even asking, Ember just shoved her way into his room. Giggling, I followed her.

My father's single good eyes followed Ember as she went to the middle of the room and sat in a chair by the hearth. "It's an emergency." I insisted.

Oddly enough, my father sighed, then he crossed the room and sat across from Ember and I. "Considering that I have nothing better to attend to, I guess I will listen to your little pitiful sob story."

"It's the witch hunters. We have reason to believe there are some in our world that will stage an uprising and kill us all. We need you to find them."

My father's face twisted into a disgusted expression. "Witch hunters, you say?" He drew a small knife from his belt and began to wave it around. "What's in it for me?" he demanded of us.

Ember's cheeks began to flush red, and I could tell that Mum's temper was about to take over. "What's in it for you? You ignorant buffoon! If these Witch Hunters are even allowed to execute a single witch, they will begin to destroy the rest of us! Can't you see that we are peculiar compared to those from Above? We are nothing but alien to them. If they infiltrate the different worlds, we are all doomed. Underland and Above will be wiped clean. That includes everyone and everything!"

Ember had the ability to talk very, very fast when she was pissed off, much like Mum. I had always thought that she could easily out-talk anyone when she was about to rage. "If you don't do this for me, your own flesh and blood, do this for yourself!" I snapped.

Ember sprang from her chair. "DO IT FOR YOUR QUEEN!" She hissed stridently. It frightened me a little how angry she was getting. "Do it for the sake of having a woman to stick your dinky little prick into!" I clapped a gloved hand over my mouth in an attempt to stop the laughter that threatened to burst out.

I don't know whether it was the idea of not being able to lay again, or Ember's temper, but my father's jaw dropped. "Yes, your highness. Right away." He stumbled to his feet. He came over to me, dropped a peck on my cheek, dropped a heavy coin purse into my lap.

In one swift motion, he swiped his sword from the rack on the wall, and he began to jog from the room.

I wiped it off, quickly, but shoved the money into my cleavage. I wasn't used to his fake affection, but the money was nice and very much appreciated. Ever since his latest betrayal, Mum demanded he pay child support for my upkeep. About two million pounds sterling a month to be exact.

Ember sniggered next to me. She wrapped her fingers around Aunt Winnie's book and she giggled. "Well, Sis, looks like we got that taken care of."

"We make an excellent team. Remind me never to piss you off like that. Ever."I joked.

"Not to worry, Ros, dear. You shall never know the extent of my true temper." Holding the book to her chest, she rose from her chair. "Now, then, I suggest we go and find Mum."

"She'll be happy to know your favorite person paid his child support on time. How long do you think he'll last out there?" I wondered, walking out with my sister.

She shrugged. "Who knows? Hopefully long enough for us to find Aunt Winifred before the Witch Hunters take her down."

"While we're on the subject, there's something you should know." I confessed. "I've been having these weird nightmares about a black cat loitering around a condemned building in the Above. Do you think it has anything to do with Auntie Winnie?"

Ember stopped dead in her tracks. "That's funny, Ros. I, too, have seen the apparition of a feline, black as coal. I didn't think anything of it at all. You know what this means?" I shook my head.

"We must question Mum," she said flatly. "Even if you leave the talking to me. I think she knows more that she lets onto."

"I'll go with you...for moral support. But I don't want Mum to be mad at me." I said.

"It's decided then. I will do the talking." And with that, she trudged down the corridor. I followed.


	5. Mummy's Little Captives

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being grounded for their mother, the two princesses concoct a plan to sneak out of the castle and save Winnie.

Ember III

The past two days had been a royal mess, what with my insomnia, which led to me eavesdropping, which led to all this nonsense. I suppose it would have happened had I not eavesdropped- Aunt Winifred was gone, and she had indeed left her beloved book behind, in my care. Somehow I could feel it in my core that Mummy dearest knew more about the situation than she had revealed.

Mum had said Aunt Winifred had gone Above to defend her and the Aunties home. I had no idea where that was. And why did she go alone? Aunt Winifred may have been one of the most powerful witches of all time, but she was no fool. And to go off and face countless numbers of Witch Hunters by herself was just downright stupid.

I adored Winifred, and I wasn't about to let her fight this alone.

With Rosalind in tow, I marched through the castle.

"Do you think Mum is gonna be pissed at you?" she asked worriedly.

"Even so, Sis," I replied. "I am too old to be under Mum's restrictions. I can't be her pet forever. I've been hoping for a while now that she'd turn the majority of her attention to you so I can go and explore other realms. I want to know what other people live like, Ros."

"I happen to like her attention." she smirked. She was always more used to the royal life than I.

"Good. Maybe we can get her to 'cut my leash', so to speak. I have never told you this, but for the longest time, I have felt completely different from you and Mum. It's almost like I don't truly belong here."

"I think you belong here," she insisted. "You're my sister and my best friend. You're pretty, smart, and brave. I've always adored and admired you."

"I Love you and Mum with all my meager Heart, Ros. But there's something deep within me that wants out. And it cannot come out whilst I am under the restrictions of Underland." Ros sighed heavily and pouted a bit.

"I understand, sis. Just come back to visit us every once in a while."

I gently patted her shoulder as we approached the throne room. Surprisingly, a dormouse I had never seen before in my life was standing at attention by the throne room doors.

"Halt! Who goes there?" asked the mouse.

I raised my brows.

"You're new around here aren't you? Everyone here knows that we're the princesses. Hi, I'm Rosalind and this is my elder sister, Ember. And you are?"

"Butters," replied the mouse. "I am the daughter of Mallymkun."

Nodding, I approved. So did Ros

"Butters of the Royal Guard," I boomed. "Tell the Queen the princesses are here to see her!" Again, without even asking, I barged right through the doors with my sister trailing on my heels.

Mother was perched on her throne, feet up on a pig belly, sipping tea from a steaming cup. When she took notice of us, she practically spit her tea out.

"Darlings," she said, surprised. "There you are. Where have you been all morning?"

Rosalind and I looked at each other. She fished the sack of money out of the front of her dress.

"Daddy gave me child support. It took a little convincing, but thanks to Ember, he handed it over without any problems."

Mother cackled like she always did when something was amusing. "Stayne, that fool. Well, done, Ember, my darling! Rosalind, you may keep your fathers purse if you wish."

Ros beamed.

"Thank you, Mummy. I love you."

"I love you too, my girls."

I couldn't take it. Sighing, I shook my head. "Mum," I said, getting her attention.

"Yes?"

"I want to know about Aunt Winnie. I want to know where she's gone. And I want to help her defeat the Witch Hunters."

Mum's brows settled and she scowled a bit. Ros suddenly became very interested in the rug and tiles on the floor. "Winifred has gone off to handle affairs you need not concern yourself with. I told you she asked that you watch over that hideous spellbook of hers until her return. Other than that, I wish you to not go sticking your nose where it doesn't belong." Her voice began to crescendo a bit at the end.

"But what if Aunt Winifred is to befall harm? I do not wish to sit idly and allow her to be defeated," I insisted. I was not going to let this go.

"Winifred Sanderson is centuries old," Mum countered. "I'm quite sure she can handle herself."

"Although I was growing upset, I would not be pushed into admitting what I had heard that night. That would stay secret until Aunt Winifred was found and the Witch Hunters were defeated.

Mum must have sensed my growing interest because her cheeks began to take on a rose color.

"I will NOT allow you to go poking around in other lands, Ember," she hissed. "Your rightful place is here, amongst your family. Until Winifred returns for her spellbook, you are forbidden to leave the castle grounds unless I state otherwise."

Rosalind just blinked.

"That goes for you too, Rosalind!"

"Does this mean we're grounded?" she asked innocently, looking up at our mother with wide, unblinking eyes. She wasn't used to not getting her way.

"Oh, most definitely! Now, go! Go and annoy someone else. You're giving me a headache."

Without another word, I took Ros by the hand and we fled the throne room as quickly as possible. Neither of us dared speak until we were far from Mum's earshot. I took Ros straight to my bedchambers with me.

"She's such a twit sometimes!" I hissed, slamming my chamber door.

"I don't get it." Ros deadpanned quietly. "What did I do?"

"Oh, she knows how we are when we get curious together, Ros. She probably grounded you, too, thinking it would protect you." I began to pace my chamber. I had laid Book on my bed. He was still fast asleep. I began to feel pure frustration flood every inch of my body and soon my adrenaline was pumping and I could hardly contain myself. "I Love her. I do. But I can't just sit down here while Aunt Winnie is Above. What if she's in trouble? What if she needs us?" I paused. "Ros, are Auntie Mary and Auntie Sarah still here in the castle?"

She nodded solemnly.

"They're across the hall from me. Why?"

"Good. We have to keep them here somehow." I went to my bed, and ran my hands admiringly over the cover of Book. "They cannot leave Underland, at least not until we get Winifred back." I pivoted on my heel and looked my sister right in her face.

"Grab your warm cloak, Ros. We are going Above."

She bolted into her room and returned dressed in her cloak with Aunt Mary and Aunt Sarah in tow.

Ihad an idea. "Aunt Sarah, Aunt Mary, I have a quest for you," I chimed.

Mary's face lit up and Sarah began to dance idiotically.

"Quest, quest, quest!" cheered Sarah

"Rosalind and I would like to prepare a special supper for Mummy. But, unfortunately, we have gotten ourselves grounded and cannot leave the grounds. Would you mind flying off to the Underland Market to pick up some supplies for us?" I asked sweetly.

Mary smiled. "Why, of course, Ember. We wouldst be delighted."

Catching onto my little trick, I noticed Rosalind begin to scrawl things on a small scroll. My little sister was quite the genius, and I knew she'd think of only the hardest items in Underland to find. Items that would take hours to locate, so we could make our escape.

Sarah and Mary both looked over Ros' genius list and giggled the whole time. She had added things such as "Pecker of the Wood, droppings of a dormouse" things that were downright disgusting. But Sarah and Mary did not understand that in Underland, our food was much more exotic than they probably reckoned for.

The two witches happily skipped on their way.

"Hopefully they know not to tell Mum we sent them out," I said to Ros. She nodded tentatively. Salazen Grum was all she knew since birth. She'd never been outside the castle grounds anyway, grounding or no grounding. It was obvious she was hesitant about leaving.


	6. The Master Plan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ember and Ros enlist the help of their family friend, Nellie Lovett to help them assimilate to the world above so they can sneak out of Underland.

Rosalind III

Of course I was worried about my godmother, but I didn't know if I was ready to see the world above. I'd lived a sheltered life as a princess and was completely content to continue on like that, but seeing as Auntie Winnie was in real trouble, something had to be done.

"Okay, sissy, what's the plan?" I asked once the coast was clear.

Ember pursed her lips for a moment. "Considering that the Alice entered Underland though a rabbit hole, I suggest we find other means of getting above."

"That's all very well, but how are we gonna get out of the castle, especially when we're grounded?"

"Oh, it's not that I am concerned with," she said proudly. "It's what we plan to do once we reach the Above. We are much different than the people from up there."

"Well obviously. They're all weirdos from what I've heard. We'll stand out easily. I say we find the condemned building we saw in our dreams."

For a few seconds I watched as Ember paced. She was biting her bottom lip, as she often did when she was pondering. "I've got it," she chirped. "Before we travel to Aunt Winifred's home, why don't we go and pop in on Aunt Nellie? Surely she could help us with our disguises," she suggested.

"You're right. She used to live Above before she came to work for us so she must know how things work up there." I agreed.  
"It's settled then. Let us go and see Auntie Nellie."

We walked into the kitchen and found Auntie Nellie chopping up some meat with a huge cleaver. At first she didn't notice us. But Ember went right up to her, and wrapped her arms around her neck in an odd-fashioned hug.

"'Ello, ello, Auntie Nellie," Ember said, mocking Aunt Eleanor's thick accent.

I grinned, hugging Aunt Nellie from behind.

"Oi!" Nellie squeaked. "You girls get off!"

"Sorry Auntie Nellie." I got off. "What are you cooking? Do you need some help?" I loved helping Auntie Nellie in the kitchen. Cooking was kind of therapeutic for me. Aunt

"Auntie Eleanor," Ember said in a deep, seductive tone. "Little Rozzy and I need your help."

Sighing, we watched as Auntie Eleanor plunged the cleaver into a hunk of meat. She wiped the sweat off her forehead with the back of her hand and leaned against the counter.

"What is it this time?" she asked, annoyed.

"We need to go topside to save Auntie Winnie from the witch hunters." I blurted out.

Aunt Eleanor's eyes widened hugely. If she had been sipping a drink, she would have spat it out. "Oi. And what's your Mum think of this?"  
I didn't answer and looked at my feet.

Ember cleared her throat. "Well, she doesn't really know-"

"-Blimey! Ember, are you kiddin' me?" Aunt Eleanor demanded. "You two are 'bout to just go galumphin' about in the Above, and leave your Mum without the slightest clue?" She began to look extremely confused.

"Well, technically we're grounded until this whole "witch hunter" thing blows over." I explained, using air quotes on the words, "witch hunter."

What with our past of sneaking out to visit Aunt Nellie at her old home in Fleet Street without Mum's knowledge, Aunt Eleanor shook her head in opposition.

"No," she said. "I can't. I can't let you do that to your Mum. If I let you go, and she ever found out, it'd be my head floatin' in that moat."

"You could always come with us. You and Uncle Sweeney know the Above better than anyone around here." I suggested.

Aunt Nellie shook her head. She sighed again. "Absolutely not. Mistuh Todd and I left that life behind us." We both stood quietly as her face twisted in all directions. After a bit, she swiped up her cleaver and gave the meat a good wail. "Oh, all right," she said in defeat. "What kin I do for ya?"

"We need disguises," Ember said flatly. She pulled at a crimson lace on her corset. "Very well can't rough about the Above dressed in royal garb." Ember grasped at the sparkly jewels around her neck, as if she actually cared for material items, which I knew damn well she did not. "Someone may try to steal my jewels," she pouted.

I nervously touched my favorite choker, worried someone might take it too.

"What's in it for me?" Aunt Eleanor asked, challenging Ember.

"Do you forget to whom you are speaking? I am Emberess of Crims, Red Princess of Underland. What I say goes." She slid real close to her. "And I declare that if you help us, I will request your allowance be tripled, and I will gift to you the cottage Mum gave me as a birthday present."

Aunt Nellie smiled. "The one by the sea?"

"Aye, the one by the sea," Ember stated. "Plus. I will assure you have a month's vacation in said cottage. That way you can spend quality time with your Mistuh Todd."

Eyes aglow, Auntie Nellie grabbed hold of me and Ember, and pulled us toward her chambers. "Where are we going? Do you and Uncle Sweeney have kinky toys like Mum does?"

Ember laughed so hard it boomed down the corridor.

Shaking her head, Aunt Nellie giggled.

"What did I say?" I asked. "It's just a question."

Aunt Nellie just shook her head as she grabbed hold of us both, and led us down the corridor to her chambers. Sooner than later Ember and I were perched in front of mirrors as Aunt Nellie presumed to squeeze us into oddly designed Victorian gowns, much like what she adorned, only the corsets were much tighter.

"Auntie Nellie, are you trying to suffocate us?" I asked, as she tightened my laces. I was wearing a red strapless dress with a pink corset. The skirt was trimmed with rosettes and there was an oversized bow in the back. But now Auntie Nellie was squeezing me into a gown that was a dark red, almost like blood, with a black corset over the top of it.

"You kin keep ya jewelry," Aunt Nellie chided. "There be rich folks in the Above that wear shiny things like dat."

"Keep my tiara safe for me," I said, handing over the gold ruby and diamond tiara that matched my necklace. Aunt Nellie took my tiara from me and placed it in a black velvet box, along with Ember's small crown, and slid the box underneath her bed.

I watched intently as Aunt Nellie slid a sheer black gown over Ember's head. She adorned her with a dark red corset. We were exact opposites! I pulled Auntie Nellie into a tight hug. "I'll miss you." I said. "Take care of Mum for us."

"Oi!" Aunt Nellie squeaked. She jumped back from my grasp. She never really was one for affection. "I am gonna pretend I don't know a thing 'bout where you went. I'm goin' back to my meat pies, and that's where I'll stay." I watched as she bade Ember fairfarren and then stalked from the room.

"So, sis. How are we going to get out of here? Mum probably has armed guards surrounding the castle to keep us in."

Ember was in the mirror, adjusting her gown to fit comfortbaly. "I was thinking we'd wait till nightfall," she said. "We can climb out the window, and slip the guards. I think we should go see my father. He can help us get Above."

"Your father has a problem with me, remember?" I sighed. "He thinks I'm too much like Mum. I don't think he'd be too willing to help."

Ember scoffed. "Of course he will, Ros, don't be silly. He will do anything he can to get back at Mum for holding his family captive for all those years."

"That's true." I thought aloud. "When are we going?"

She turned to me. "As soon as the dark falls over Underland, we're outta here. We'll grab our horses and ride hard to my Father's house."

"The only thing left to do now is go to dinner with Mum and pretend everything is normal."

"I suppose it won't hurt to make one final appearance before we up and disappear," Ember said.

"Let's go then." I said.

Ember looped arms with me and we began to skip from Aunt Nellie's chamber.


	7. Into the Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After an awkward family dinner, Ember conspires with her father the Hatter to smuggle herself and Rosalind out of Underland to Salem.

Ember IV

Later that evening Rosalind, Mum, Stayne and I gathered in the great hall for our usual "family" meal. We were hardly family, well, a perfectly functioning family, that is. Rosalind took her usual spot to the left of Mum, Me to her right. Stayne sat across from us, sided by all the courtiers.

As we ate, Mum and Stayne got into conversation about possibly raising a Red Armada of warships and sending them off to other lands, in hope if overpowering them, taking them over, and adding them to Mums Underland empire. I listened carefully, as it had always been an interest of mine to learn to sail the seas.

After a while, Mum, being as unobservant as ever, took notice that neither Rosalind nor I were wearing our royal jewels.

"Girls, where are your cwowns?" she asked. Ros shoveled food into her mouth to avoid answering the question.

I eyed Rosalind curiously.

Clearing my throat, I filled my fork full of tadpoles. "I set them off to be polished, is all," I said, the quickly shoving my mouth full of food. "My rubies require a good shining," I added. Rosalind swallowed, patted her mouth daintily with a napkin and nodded in agreement.

Mum nodded. "Always assuring you girls look your best, well done, Ember."

Thankfully she had not noticed our gown change. Soon dinner was over and she was heading up to her chambers, Stayne in tow. Rosalind and I watched them as they ascended the staircase.

"Disgusting," Rosalind remarked. "We'll probably have another sibling soon." There was utter disgust in her voice.

I cringed. "Dear Underland, I hope not. I think we are all she needs," I explained. The idea of Mum having any sort of intimate contact with any man turned my very stomach. "Let Mum have her fun, but I forbid there be another child in this castle."

Rosalind laughed.

With a couple hours left until nightfall, Rosalind and I went to my chambers and began a heated card game.

"What do you think she'll do when she finds us gone in the morning?" asked Ros. "I couldn't live with myself if Mum hated me."

"If you that concerned about it, you don't have to come. As much as I'd like you to go with me, you don't have to," I explained to her.

"No, I want to go. I want to stop the witch hunters and save Auntie Winnie. I can't let you go on your own."

I smiled. "Alright then. I'm glad your up for it. And Mum won't hate you, if anything she'll probably wonder where I've run off with you. I may lose my head when we get back," I teased. I loved my Mum.

"If she hasn't killed Aunt Mirana yet, she won't kill us." Rosalind reminded. "And she hates Mirana. Besides, you're her heir, and I'm her baby."

That was true. As much nonsense as Aunt Mirana had put her through, Mum still managed to curb her temper and not have her executed. However, that did not mean that Mum was completely level-headed when it came to family. Her first husband, the King, Bertrand, had been a bastard to her, and she had had him killed long before she even started relations with my father. He had been her own husband, he misbehaved, she killed him herself. It wasn't as if she hadn't thought about executing Aunt Mirana, it's that she harbored enough self control to not actually go through with it.

Besides, she needed me and Rosalind.

When the dark swept over Underland, and we could tell that the castle was quieting down, I went to the window and opened it. Sticking my head out, I surveyed the ground below me. The torches that lined the castle had all been lit, but there were no guards in sight. Quickly I snatched my cloak from its rack and threw it around me. I grabbed Aunt Winifred's spellbook from my bed and shoved it down my corset as far as I could.

"Tie the bedsheets, sis," I instructed.

Rosalind tied the sheets to each other to make a ladder so we could leave out the window.

I tied the very end of the sheets around my waist. I would lower myself down first. "I'm going to go first, Ros. Don't come down until I say it's safe."

Ros nodded.

I had done many a risky things in my lifetime, but lowering myself from a fourth story castle window was something I never dreamed of doing. The whole time I descended down the side of the wall, I bit my lip nervously. I held my breath in until my feet touched the flat of the ground.

Once I was sturdy, I gestured up to Rosalind. "C'mon, Ros, your turn." Rosalind gingerly lowered herself down the tower.

As soon as Rosalind was safely beside me on the ground, I gestured to the stables and I took off at a jog. Rosalind followed, running as fast as she could laced up in Nellie's corset. I whipped open the stable doors and I headed in, not caring that the building was dimly lit by only a few lanterns. A few of the horses made a small nicker at our presence but otherwise hardly made a peep.

My black mare was in the very last stall. We had no real time to tack up properly so I hoisted myself onto her back right in the stall. I walked her out into the aisle way while I watched Rosalind struggle up onto the broad back of her grey and white stallion.

"Got it, sis?" I asked.

"I think so," she replied, finally mounting her horse.

She rode out next to me.

"Are you ready?" I asked. She nodded.

"Then let's shred some dirt," I said, wailing my heels to my mare. She bound forward.

Her hooves pounded heavily on the cobblestone. Rosalind got her horse to canter out of the stable as well, her blonde ringlets flying behind her as she rode. I held my breath as we rounded the outer courtyard, and headed for the main bridge out of the castle. At one point I thought I heard a guard yell something behind us, but I swallowed hard and hoped for the best.

After awhile, we reached my father's house. Ros hesitated as she dismounted. "Are you sure we can trust him, sis?" she whispered.

My father lived in an old windmill out in Trotters Bottom. It was rather dark out, the only light source being the candles that flickered in his windows.

"I trust him more than I trust Aunt Mirana," I told her.

"Fair enough." she shrugged. She rapped sharply on the door. "Hat man! Wake up! Open the door in the name of the princesses!"

I knocked on the door myself with a hard fist. "Father! I need you!"

It actually got to the point where Rosalind and I were both pounding on the door simultaneously. Our rapping became so intense then when the door opened, we both fell face first inside the windmill.

"Dear Underland!" my Father cried. "Ember? Rosalind? Have you any notion of what time it is?"

"Owww," Rosalind said.

"Father," I said, pulling myself off the floor. "I am well aware of what time it is. But I need your assistance right now."

With his big brows, he gave a curious look. "With?" he asked.

"We need to get out of Underland to stop a bunch of witch hunters from destroying the realm as we know it," Rosalind explained.

"Yes, father," I declared. Without asking, I went into my father's sitting room and plunked down on his settee. Rosalind sat in a chair next to me.

"Now, tell Me, what are you babbling on about?" My Father asked us.

Sighing, I relaxed in my seat. "Aunt Winifred informed Mum that there are Witch Hunters afoot. They are determined to end anything magical, alien, anything wondrous. You know how unique Underland is compared to Above. If the Witch Hunters get the upper hand, all of Underland will be lost." Ros put her feet up on the ottoman.

My Father moved across the room and sat beside me. By all means, he wasn't the sanest person in existence, but he had a good heart, and that's all that truly mattered to me. He hadn't known me my entire life, only the last five years or so, but he had done his best to be the best Father he could. That was more than I could say for Stayne. Stayne was Rosalind's father, and a bad one at that.

"You need to get Above, is that it?" my father asked after a few moments of silence.

I nodded. "Yes."

"And what of your mother?" he asked

Rosalind and I looked at one another.

"She doesn't know," I stated.

"We're not supposed to leave the castle until further notice." Rosalind clarified.

He took another few minutes to ponder. Somewhere on the second floor of the windmill, a cuckoo clock sounded off. Finally, he let out a big sigh.

"Although I detest you running off and getting into Underland knows what, you are twenty-two now, and I suppose I can't ask you not to do what your heart tells you to." He eyed Rosalind for a minute and I saw her possum in her chair. "If you want to go Above, then I will show you how to get there. However…" he rose from his seat and he towered over me. His vibrant green eyes shifted to the dark red they took on when his temper spiked. "You are not to tell your mother who took you," he said in his thick, scottish accent.

"Deal," Rosalind and I said in unison.


End file.
